City of Owen Sound Releases 2026 Waste Management Calendar

Owen Sound’s 2026 Waste Management Calendar is now available online at OwenSound.ca/Waste. Printed copies are available at City Hall, with more printed copies available at the Owen Sound Transit Terminal, and the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Library after December 22. Additional pick-up locations will be posted on the Waste Management webpage as they are confirmed. 

Calendars are available in east-side only, west-side only, and combined (east and west) versions. Residents can also search their collection day by home address online. 

New Garbage Bag Tags 

The new  garbage bag tags are now being distributed to vendor locations. You will begin seeing them as your vendor’s current supply of old bag tags runs out. Both the  new rectangular bag tags and old strip  bag tags will be accepted  until existing stock is gone.  Garbage bag tags remain $3.00 each.  

Reminder: 

• A bag tag must be affixed to every bag of garbage set out for collection, or it will not be picked up.  

• Be sure your bag tag is clearly visible for the garbage collection contractor.  

Residential Recycling Collection for Owen Sound  

On January 1, 2026, Ontario will fully shift recycling responsibility for packaging and paper products to producers, who will handle all collection from homes, residential units in mixed-use buildings, and eligible seasonal or campground households currently collecting curbside recycling. 

This milestone will give residents across the province access to a unified list of accepted recyclable materials—making recycling simpler and more consistent no matter where they live. The expanded list now includes: 

• hot and cold beverage cups (coffee cups)  

• black plastic containers 

• frozen juice containers 

• ice cream tubs 

• toothpaste tubes 

• deodorant and more. 

Recyclables must be placed in a blue box and sorted according to the Recycling Guide at: CircularMaterials.ca/OwenSound. 

Still not sure what’s all included in the new unified material list? Visit OwenSound.ca/Waste or download the Recycle Coach app from Apple or Google. Both resources will be updated within the first couple of weeks of the new year to reflect the newly expanded list of recyclable materials. 

Online Tools & Additional Waste Resources 

Earlier this year, a new “What Goes Where” tool called Recycle Coach was released. You can find it on the City’s website and through the Recycle Coach app. This interactive feature helps residents learn how to dispose of various household waste. It allows users to search for materials, use image recognition, find drop-off locations, and view instructions for recycling, garbage, hazardous waste, and more. 

Residents can visit OwenSound.ca/Waste to: 

• Download or view the 2026 waste collection calendar. 

• Look up collection days by home address. 

• Find an up-to-date list of bag tag vendors. 

• Use the Recycle Coach app to learn how to properly dispose of materials. 

For more information, please contact Heidi Jennen, Supervisor of Environmental Services, at 519-376-4440 ext. 3223 or email hjennen@owensound.ca

Quick Facts:

• 2026 Waste Collection Calendars are now available online. 

• The 2026 calendar includes eight (8) Household Hazardous Waste Days and three (3) Goods Exchange Days. 

• New bag tags are now in circulation; old strip-style tags are still accepted. 

• Two new vendor locations added: East Side Circle K and Downtown Circle K. 

• The Recycle Coach app can be used to identify proper disposal methods. 

• Green Bin Program, as of the publication of this release, has diverted 285.36 tonnes of organic matter from the landfill.  

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